Review: Ben Watt and Bernard Butler, Bodega

I've never been to a gig before where the audience are so intoxicated by the profoundly talented musicians on stage that you had to whisper as not to disturb the rest of the crowd.

The multi-talented Ben Watt, who is best known for his partnership with Tracy Thorn as Everything But the Girl, walked on stage to a relaxed Bodega atmosphere.

He quickly launched into his first song, The Levels, before introducing guitarist Bernard Butler, saying: “Hello, nice to be back.”

The subdued crowd listened intently to a mix of songs which Watt drew from both his recent album, Hendra, and a back catalogue of songs stretching back to his late teens.

The songs were interspersed with short insights into Watt’s personal life and what had inspired his lyrics, including the death of his sister Jenny, which he described as a “huge blow” that kickstarted him into writing Hendra, a song which was a highlight of the set.

Watt then aired some of his older material, reminiscing about his late teenage years and collaboration with Robert White on his first EP, Walter and John, which was well received by the crowd.

The old tracks were seamlessly mixed with those from his new album which lent a nostalgic feel, while slow and tranquil strums of the pair’s guitars echoed around the Bodega, providing the perfect crescendo to the bank holiday weekend.